Story highlights

Never underestimate Brazil's love for football -- a lesson learned the hard way by a member of one of the world's biggest rock bands.

Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has apologized to fans of Brazilian football team Flamengo after wiping his backside with one of the club's shirts.

The incident occurred during a drum clinic in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte last week, when Smith shoved a red and black Flamengo shirt down the back of his trousers prompting booing from large parts of the gathered crowd.

Lionel Messi – Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina) CNN rating: Contender Can anyone dethrone Messi? The Argentine has lifted the prize in each of the last four years and once again starred for Barcelona during the 2012-13 season as they romped to the Spanish title, scoring 46 goals during a victorious La Liga campaign.

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2013 Ballon d'Or nominees23 photos

Cristiano Ronaldo – Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Portugal) CNN rating: Contender Ronaldo is bidding to win the award for the second time in his career and, although Real finished a distant second to Barca in La Liga and failed to win any silverware last season, the Portuguese's class ensures he is always a contender for top honors.

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2013 Ballon d'Or nominees23 photos

Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain & Sweden) CNN rating: Contender Since arriving in Paris, the mercurial Sweden striker has become a symbol of PSG's new elite status. Ibrahimovic finished as the top goalscorer in France as PSG secured the league title. His penchant for scoring jaw-dropping goals, and his often outspoken approach, has made him a cult figure among football fans the world over.

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2013 Ballon d'Or nominees23 photos

Franck Ribery – Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich & France) CNN rating: Contender The 2012-13 season was the finest of Ribery's career to date, with the Frenchman one of the key players in a Bayern team which won the European Champions League, the Bundesliga and the German Cup. A number of Bayern players would be worthy recipients of the accolade, with Ribery's craft and guile making him a standout candidate.

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2013 Ballon d'Or nominees23 photos

Arjen Robben – Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich & Netherlands) CNN rating: Contender The Dutch winger finally managed to shake off his tag as a player who chokes on the big stage by scoring a last-minute winner against Borussia Dortmund to crown Bayern champions of Europe. For this alone, Robben is in contention.

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2013 Ballon d'Or nominees23 photos

Philipp Lahm – Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich & Germany) CNN rating: Contender Lahm was captain of the Bayern team which swept all before it last season. The Ballon d'Or would be testament to the German's calm, composed leadership of a team which etched its name in history.

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Thomas Muller – Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich & Germany) CNN rating: Contender The Bayern youth academy graduate has forged a reputation as one of the world's most clinical finishers. Muller will hope to add the Ballon d'Or to the Golden Boot he won at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

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Bastian Schweinsteiger – Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich & Germany) CNN rating: Longshot Bastian Schweinsteiger has long been a rock at the base of the Bayern midfield, but the playmaker looks likely to be outshone by his attacking teammates.

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Manuel Neuer – Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich & Germany) CNN rating: Longshot Neuer's class is unquestionable, however no goalkeeper has ever won the award. Neuer's contributions during the 2012-13 campaign, which included a standout performance in the Champions League final against Dortmund, will not be enough to lift him above Messi, Ronaldo et al in the final ballot.

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Robert Lewandowski – Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund & Poland) CNN rating: Longshot The Polish striker was the spearhead of a Dortmund team which won plenty of admirers during its run to the Champions League final. Lewandowski's four-goal demolition of Real Madrid in the semifinals was a display of ruthless finishing, but he looks set to miss out in 2013.

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Andres Iniesta – Andres Iniesta (Barcelona & Spain) CNN rating: Longshot Iniesta's pedigree and talent makes him one of the finest players on the planet, but the midfielder will likely suffer as a result of Barcelona's crushing defeat at the hands of Bayern in the Champions League semifinals.

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Gareth Bale – Gareth Bale (Real Madrid & Wales) CNN rating: Longshot The world's most expensive player enjoyed the best season of his career so far with Tottenham Hotspur, prompting a money-spinning move to Real Madrid. The Welshman will likely miss out, however, having not played in Europe's top club competition last season.

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Edinson Cavani – Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain & Uruguay) CNN rating: No chance Cavani is one of the world's most talented goalscorers with PSG forking out a reported $88 million to snare the Uruguayan away from Napoli last July. Time will tell whether a spell with one of Europe's top clubs will see Cavani challenging for major international honors in the future.

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2013 Ballon d'Or nominees23 photos

Neymar – Neymar (Barcelona & Brazil)CNN rating: No chance Neymar's goal in the recent El Clasico match between Barca and Real Madrid showed he is starting to settle in European football. A World Cup win in his homeland with Brazil could see Neymar mount a convincing challegne for the 2014 award.

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Xavi – Xavi (Barcelona & Spain) CNN rating: No chance Xavi's list of accomplishments in the game, a World Cup winner, three Champions League triumphs and two European Championships, means he will always be regarded as an all-time great. Regrettably, at 33, the midfielder is battling persistent injury problems.

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Luis Suarez – Luis Suarez (Liverpool & Uruguay) CNN rating: No chance Suarez's talent means he warrants a place on any list of the world's best footballers. Unfortunately his temperament often gets in the way. The Uruguayan has received lengthy bans for racism offenses and biting opponents.

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Andrea Pirlo – Andrea Pirlo (Juventus & Italy) CNN rating: No chance A refined midfielder who oozes class, Pirlo would be a surprise winner after a campaign which saw Juve win the Italian title but fail to advance beyond the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

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Thiago Silva – Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain & Brazil) CNN rating: No chance The defender led Brazil to Confederations Cup success in 2013. If he can repeat the feat as captain of his country at next year's World Cup, he won't be far away from the 2014 honor.

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Robin van Persie – Robin van Persie (Manchester United & Netherlands) CNN rating: No chance The Dutchman's goals propelled United to the Premier League title in convincing fashion, but the Old Trafford club's failings in Europe meant he struggled to make an impact on the continent.

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Yaya Toure – Yaya Toure (Manchester City & Ivory Coast) CNN rating: No chance The powerful midfielder endured a frustrating 2012-13 campaign with Manchester City. Toure saw his team finish 11 points behind neighbors United in the Premier League, lose the FA Cup final to lowly Wigan and fail to advance past the group stage of the Champions League.

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Radamel Falcao – Radamel Falcao (Monaco & Colombia) CNN rating: No chance Falcao's goalscoring prowess helped Atletico Madrid to a Copa del Rey triumph and a place in this season's Champions League. A prolific campaign with Monaco and a good World Cup with Colombia would raise the forward's profile.

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Mesut Ozil – Mesut Ozil (Arsenal & Germany) CNN rating: No chance Ozil has delighted Arsenal fans since swapping Real Madrid for London in August, but the German needs to lead the Gunners to glory if he is to challenge for individual honors.